This invention relates to recoil mechanisms, and more particularly, to a recoil mechanism which incorporates shaft means having a collar slidable thereon and in operative association with a recoil spring.
In a known type of recoil and track tensioning apparatus a one-piece shaft has a collar slidably mounted thereon, the collar being in operative association with a recoil spring. The shaft is also in operative association with a fluid chamber into which substantially incompressible fluid may be introduced, so that the mechanism provides the function of tensioning a track of a vehicle with which it is associated. In general, over a period of time, the movement of the collar relative to the shaft under recoil operation of the apparatus provides a certain degree of wear on the shaft. In general, in order to gain complete access to the shaft to replace it, certain sealing relations in the area of the shaft and chamber must be broken, and then reestablished during reassembly of the apparatus.